Former nominated UDA senator Gloria Orwoba has called for the arrest and prosecution of key officials at Utumishi Girls Academy following the tragic dormitory fire that claimed the lives of 16 students last week.
In a social media post on Tuesday, June 2, Orwoba urged Kenyans not to allow the tragedy to fade from public attention, saying the country appeared to be moving on just four days after the devastating incident.
She called on the government to ensure that all affected families receive comprehensive support and demanded accountability from those she believes may have failed in their duties on the night of the fire.
Orwoba specifically called for the arrest of the school’s principal, the teacher on duty, the dormitory matron, and the chairperson of the Board of Management (BoM).
According to the ex-nominated senator, the four should join the eight students who have already been arrested on suspicion of setting the dormitory ablaze.
The former senator alleged that the teacher on duty was not reachable and was not in proximity to the school when the fire occurred. She also claimed that the dormitory matron was not reachable and was not near the dormitories at the time of the incident.
Regarding the principal and the BoM chair, Orwoba argued that they should be held responsible for allegedly failing to enforce school safety guidelines. She pointed to concerns over emergency exits, saying such exits should not be lockable from the outside.
Beyond the arrests, Orwoba urged the government to convene all parents of students at the school to discuss and conclude commitments on expenses arising from the tragedy. These, she said, should include medical costs, funeral expenses, home care support, and costs associated with permanent disabilities.
She further called for the simplification of the existing 78-page school safety guidelines into a shorter checklist that can be easily implemented by school boards and for the reactivation of Ministry of Education compliance field officers.
Orwoba maintained that stronger accountability measures are necessary to end recurring fire-related deaths in boarding schools.